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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {